What is the value of a good coach? It is often the difference between winning and losing. This past weekend like a lot of Americans I watched football to recover from all the Thanksgiving eating I consumed. In one game I watched in amazement as a coach made several poor...

One key to maximizing your campaign capability lies in the power of gratitude. “I don’t think it is appropriate to thank members for what they should be doing.” That was the comment of a pastor who had asked me to write letters for him. I had written a letter...

Do you know how to use end of year appeals to increase campaign giving? End of year giving is huge for charities and churches alike. Consider that 25% of a charities yearly income comes in the last few weeks of the year. These charities know they MUST get their message out or...

The no. 1 question I get asked is a question that can’t be answered. That question is, “How much do you think we can raise in a capital campaign.” The honest truthful answer is no one knows until all the pledge cards are in months from when you are asking the...

If the only time you think about money is in a capital campaign you might be in trouble. Most preachers hate to talk about money. We shy away from the subject fearing that if we talk about money and giving we will drive people away. Yet if you are not fully funded and cannot do...

End of year giving brings in around 25% of charitable giving so you need to know how end of year giving can help your capital campaign. From Thanksgiving to the last day of the year non-profit charities bring in around 25% of all the money they collect on a yearly basis. You...

When you compare stewardship firms one against another it is an apples and oranges kind of thing. Both are fruit but the similarity ends there. The same is true when you check out different stewardship firms. No two are alike. There are similarities but there are also...

Don’t hold a capital campaign without a feasibility study! That is perhaps one of the wisest pieces of advice I ever learned. I had just started my company and was wanting a better and more effective way to help churches assure successful campaigns. I had won a contract...

It is a new day for The Charis Group! We are merging with the leading stewardship firm in our industry, Horizons Stewardship Horizons On October first of this year The Charis Group will merge with Horizons Stewardship combining our years of experience with theirs to produce a...

“I should have retained your services 6 months ago,” was the comment a pastor not long ago texted me after his do it yourself campaign failed right before his eyes. Sadly this is not the first time I have heard this and it won’t be the last. I have a saying,...